Thinking of moving to Grand Rapids? Here’s what you need to know.

Grand Rapids has hit its stride in the last few years, and the national media has caught on. In 2014 it was named #1 U.S. Travel Destination by Lonely Planet, a Top 14 Destination for Your 2014 Travel Bucket List by Huffington Post, and Best Beer Town by USA Today and 10Best. The low cost of living, good public transportation and community atmosphere round out the lengthy list of attractive qualities for residents.

Who’s There?

The more than 1 million inhabitants of the metropolitan area work in a variety of industries, however the area’s heyday in logging and furniture production can still be felt. After WWII, the office furniture sector blossomed and has remained an important part of the economy. The area is also a major producer of automotive parts, industrial machinery, plastics and chemicals. There are two major medical centers in the region. Spectrum Health System has 23,000 employees and 1,300 physicians, many of whom are in Grand Rapids; it’s been ranked among the top hospitals in the country. And St. Mary’s Health Care opened a $42 million cancer center in 2005.

What’s Around?

The city, located 30 miles from Lake Michigan’s Gold Coast, is divided into nine neighborhoods. The walkable downtown district sits along the Grand River and is filled with more than 100 restaurants. Heritage Hill, a five-minute walk from downtown, has 1,300 buildings dating to 1844. A little further to the east, Uptown is home to specialty shops and boutiques, while the East Side is a family-friendly suburb. To the north, the Medical Mile and North Quarter feature new residential and retail developments and the city’s largest park. And the West Side has an eclectic mix of the old character of the city and new businesses.

What Do You Do?

Among the 40-plus craft breweries in Grand Rapids are the nationally acclaimed Founders and HopCat breweries. The Food Trail Map is a culinary exploration that includes the restaurants, food vendors and farmers’ market of downtown. The cultural highlight of Grand Rapids is ArtPrize, a 19-day civic project that invites attendees to vote on more than a thousand works at over 100 venues.

5140 Sequoia Dr SE

838 Veto St NW

16 John Ball Park Dr NW

942 Frederick Ave NW

16 Vandenberg Pl SE

730 Bates St SE

6270 Cascade Rd SE

54 Richards Ave NW

1340 Columbia Ave NE

1319 Diamond Ave NE

303 Page St NE

816 California St NW

4663 Marigold St SE

614 Neland Ave SE

747-749 Alpine Ave NW

1031 Merrifield St SE

1261 Union Ave NE

406 Morris Ave SE

1822 Nelson Ave SE

915 Veto St NW

23 Grand Ave NE

3561 Brandau Dr NE

324 Carlton Ave SE

1710 Ridgewood Ave SE

120 Wallinwood Ave NE

939 Veto St NW

1102 White Ave NW

1675 Fuller Ave NE

1437 Lewison Ave NE

1244 Wieland Pl NW

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